The founder of one of Botswana’s leading citizen consultancies is at it again.
Monty Chiepe, who, almost twenty years ago, started Geoflux, has this time teamed up with strategic partners from South Africa and Japan to start a multi billion Pula natural energy multi-resource company.
Chiepe has since shed his stake in Geoflux.
The new idea is to venture into exploration and mining with particular emphasis on uranium and coal.
At a commemorative signing of the Heads of Agreements between the partners this week, Chiepe said he has a strong feeling that as one of the citizens with a long experience in the field of mining, he and his team stand a better chance to take the lead in efforts to diversify the economy.
His take is that Botswana’s mineral resource can be better managed and harnessed.
He believes that Botswana is currently under explored; he takes heart from the fact that many significant discoveries of a variety of high grade minerals have been made in almost all the countries surrounding Botswana.
“It cannot be that God deliberately chose to create a vacuum when it came to Botswana,” he said on a light hearted note, signaling his faith that Botswana is much more endowed with minerals than is readily admitted.
As Executive Chairman of Hexad, Chiepe has teamed up with the Central Energy Fund of South Africa.
CEF is expected to bring to bear not just their financial muscle but also their wide and varied expertise in the field of energy, processing, infrastructure and beneficiation.
The South African High Commissioner to Botswana, Mr. Moopelwa, has been given instructions by his Head Office to push the project and ensure deadlines are met.
“We have no option but to deliver. I cannot fail Botswana on this one,” said the SA High Commissioner.
More impetus on seeing the project succeed is also a result of the energy crisis currently gripping the Southern African sub region.
Minister of Minerals, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, said Botswana government is all too happy to facilitate with all the regulatory frameworks such as licensing and regulation so as to ensure that the country’s known coal reserves estimated to be in the region of 200 billion tones are utilised.
He said Botswana government is grateful of the prevailing spirit to succeed shown by various players that make up the joint venture.
The Chief Executive of CEF, Mr. Dame, said the South African government has given his company the mandate to find partners in the African continent to work with them for the benefit of the continent.
“We are not coming here as colonizers but partners,” said Damane.
Under CEF are various sister companies already involved in liquid petroleum, beneficiation and uranium treatment plants.
“Like the rest of the sub-continent, South Africa is going through energy crisis and we have been mandated to sort out the problem,” said Damane.
